


Five Times Dean Holds Castiel's Hand, and One Time He Doesn't

by soldierwithahalo



Category: Supernatural
Genre: 5 Times, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - High School, Dean-Centric, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, M/M, POV Third Person, Slow Build
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-02
Updated: 2015-05-07
Packaged: 2018-03-26 19:42:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 2,612
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3862330
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/soldierwithahalo/pseuds/soldierwithahalo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Touch has a memory." - John Keats</p><p>In which there are five instances in the course of Dean and Castiel's friendship where they hold hands, and the one time they don't.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I've always enjoyed 5 + 1 Times stories, so here is me being tired of studying for my exams and thinking it's a good idea to give it a shot. I hope you enjoy reading it!

* * *

  **I.**

* * *

 

There was this dark-haired, scrawny teenage boy standing in the middle of the hallway with a piece of paper in his hand, looking like a toddler who had just lost his mother in a crowd. Ironically, the hallway was empty – ah, the perks of being late.

“Hey buddy, you need a little help?”

The poor kid jumped, obviously startled, and whirled around to stare at him. He was a little taken aback at the blueness of his eyes. He approached the boy.

“Y-Yes, actually, that would be the ideal situation.”

Dean frowned a little at his choice of words. _Weird kid_ , he thought. He took the paper from his hands and glanced through it. He almost snorted. It was just a simple goddamn map of the school, but the boy had been squinting at the thing like it was written in Arabic and drawn out in triangles. “So, I take it you must be new here. Where are you heading?”

“Um, I believe the first lesson assigned to me is Math.”

“Lucky for you, I know where that is.” He then began to list down directions to the classroom, pausing every few seconds to make sure that the boy understood what he was saying. After all, who’s to say he won’t get lost after just two turns, considering the fact that he could barely decipher a map?

“Thank you for your help.” He nodded gratefully after taking the paper back.

“No problem, man, I get to make up an excuse for being late to class.” Dean chuckled, but when his conversational partner failed to notice the humor, the smile faded from his face. He cleared his throat a little awkwardly. “Anyway, I’m Dean. Dean Winchester.” He extended a hand.

The dark-haired boy seemed to stare at his hand for a few seconds, as if he was examining it, before he tentatively reached a hand out to shake it. He managed a small smile. “Hello Dean,” He greeted. “My name is Castiel. Castiel Novak.”


	2. Chapter 2

* * *

**II.**

* * *

 

The next time Dean sees this Castiel kid, he’s having lunch at a burger restaurant with his younger brother. They were standing a good distance away from each other – Dean about to settle down at a table with Sam; Castiel standing close to the counter.

“Oh, hey, it’s you again.” Dean made the effort to greet him.

“Dean, was it?” Castiel asked, earning a nod from him. “Hello,” He waved a bit, offering a lopsided smile.

“Oh, this is Sam, by the way,” Dean gestured to the then-midget beside him. “He’s my younger brother. And Sam, this is Cas – whoa, dude, look out!”

Without even thinking twice (because the stupid blue-eyed idiot just _had_ to stand with his back towards the counter), he crossed the distance between them by reaching a hand out to grab Castiel’s, successfully pulling him away from the counter just before one of the waitresses balancing at least five plates on her arm could collide into him. Upon realizing his mistake, Castiel apologized to them.  _Repeatedly_.

“Dude, it’s fine, it’s not like you ruined lunch or anything.” Dean rolled his eyes. “Anyway, Sam, this is Castiel. Let’s all pray he doesn't knock into any waitresses near our table today.”

He didn't. He sat perfectly still with the Winchesters, happily eating his cheeseburger.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aye, first two papers down and at least seven more to go, but here I am anyway! I hope you enjoy today's chapter.

* * *

**III.**

* * *

“And that’s the story of how Russia and the US got into a hissy-fit and started the Cold War.” Dean smiled, typing it out on Castiel’s laptop.

Castiel realized, quite quickly, that while Dean was a great friend (his _best_ friend, probably), having him as a project partner could be quite a pain. “No, Dean, you can’t write that.” He rolled his eyes, snatching the laptop from him and deleting the last line. He took a while to think of a better way to phrase their conclusion, and was vaguely aware of Dean staring at him. When he finally typed it out and handed it over to Dean for approval, his project partner nodded and saved the document into his USB drive.

“Are you staying for dinner?” He asked. “Mom made spaghetti today.”

“If you don’t mind, sure,” Dean beamed. They spent the next half an hour playing some good old Counter Strike on Castiel’s laptop, until Mrs. Novak was calling them down for dinner.

Upon reaching the dining table, Dean barely restrained himself from drooling at the sight of pasta and meatballs. He hadn’t had a good home cooked meal in years – not since his mother had passed away. Everyone settled at the dining table – from Mr. Novak and Mrs. Novak to Castiel’s two siblings, Gabriel and Inias, as well as Dean and Castiel. In fact, the only Winchester at the table was already picking up his fork when Castiel swatted his hand.

“Dude, what the –”

“Not yet,” Castiel whispered. Dean resisted the urge to roll his eyes in front of the Novak family. His fingers were twitching and his stomach was growling. Suddenly, though, Castiel extended a hand to him. The two of them stared at his palm for a long while. “Take my hand, Dean. In this house, we pray before we eat.”

He realized then that everyone was waiting for him, so he gently placed his right hand in Castiel’s open palm and his left hand in Gabriel’s. He was never the praying type, but feeling Castiel’s palm against his own made him feel like he ought to be doing this more often, and Dean wasn’t quite sure himself whether he was referring to praying before meals or holding Castiel’s hand.


	4. Chapter 4

* * *

**IV.**

* * *

 

 

The Winchesters had taken Castiel into the woods near their house. The woods had been a second home to the boys, filled with memories of hunting trips with their father and occasional campfires and stargazing. They knew every little ditch and every hidden path, every branch to dodge and every tree to climb.

The great tree that Sam was now trying to climb was no exception.

At a (not so) tender age of twelve, Sam Winchester ought to be a rock climbing expert because the speed at which he was climbing the tree rendered Castiel speechless. “Watch out, Sammy!” Dean called from below, as he poked around the bushes nearby, spotting berries and weird mushrooms. He briefly wondered if they were edible or, you know, poisonous.

“You mentioned that you used to stargaze in the woods?” Castiel piped up, tearing his gaze away from Sam.

“Yeah, there’s a clearing nearby that gives you a great view of the night sky. It’s still kind of early to go there, but I guess I could show you first. Come –”

“WHOA, GUYS, YOU’VE GOT TO COME SEE THIS!”

The two teenagers looked up, spotting a pair of shoes and a mop of brown hair among the green leaves of the gigantic tree. “I guess the clearing will have to wait.” Dean pursed his lips and reached up to grab a shorter branch. He hauled himself onto it with ease and moved to reach for the second one before turning around to stare at the ground. “Come on, Cas.”

“Dean, I think you should know that I’m not equipped with any form of climbing skills.”

“Well, neither was I, but you know what?” Before Castiel knew it, Dean had lowered himself down and reached his hand out. “I had some help.”

Castiel stared at his hand long and hard, almost disapprovingly, actually. “You won’t let me fall?”

“Of course not,” Dean scowled. Without further hesitation, Castiel took his outstretched hand firmly and moved to grip the first branch. After a few basic tips on crash course climbing and a few deep breaths, Dean managed to haul Castiel onto the first branch – and then the second, and the third. By then, surprisingly, the other teen had learned a little and was climbing the tree – slowly, but at least he didn’t look like he was about to fall.

When the two of them joined Sam on one of the higher branches, they understood his excitement instantly. They could see a beautiful view of the small town they lived in, and the sunset as well.

When it was time to climb down, Dean had to hold onto Castiel’s hand again to make sure he wouldn’t fall (he almost did, _twice_ ). By the time they got to the ground, however, Castiel had been gripping Dean’s hand so tight, his fingertips were turning a faint shade of purple. However, their hands remained clasped together for a few extra (unnecessary) seconds. Neither of them moved to unlock their hands until Sam suggested they move to the clearing to stargaze.


	5. Chapter 5

* * *

**V.**

* * *

 

 

“Cas, you keep pacing like that and it’s going to drive _me_ insane.” The dark-haired teenager before him instantly stopped, apologizing over and over again. “Please, just, calm down.” Nervous blue eyes landed on him. “I know you’re nervous, man –”

“Yes, Dean, I am _very, very_ nervous.” Castiel wiped his palms on his jeans. “I’ve been practicing for months and months for my piano exam. I just want to get past this grade, considering the fact that I failed it the last time.”

Dean sighed, leaning against the door frame to the waiting room. The exam hall was just one corridor down, and here the poor kid was, pacing the whole room for the last fifteen minutes in an attempt to calm himself down. “You know what? Let’s…let’s sit down, okay?” He moved to sit on the black leather couch and patted the space beside him. Castiel eventually sat down too.

“I don’t want to fail this again.”

“And you won’t, man, you won’t. I’ve seen you practicing, and you put a lot of heart into every piece you play, so I’m pretty sure you’ll do just fine – only if you keep calm.” Upon hearing that, Castiel began to take in deep breaths, forcing himself to calm down. And true enough, his shoulders began to relax. “See? There we go.” Dean smiled, patting him on the back.

His friend seemed to have gotten himself together for just two minutes before a lady walked into the room and said that he could now proceed to the exam hall. That was when he started panicking again.

“Oh my God,” He huffed. “This is it.”

“Okay, buddy, you stay calm now, got it?” Dean asked as the two of them stood up from the couch. “You got this.”

“Yeah, okay, I got this.” Castiel nodded, closing his eyes for a brief moment and steadying his heartbeat. When he opened his eyes to look at Dean again, they were in complete contrast to what he had just said. “I don’t got this. Dean, I –”

“ _Cas_ ,” Dean interrupted, his hand instinctively reaching to squeeze Castiel’s. The sudden physical contact startled him a bit, but much to Castiel’s surprise, he found himself relaxing at his touch. “You’ll be fine.”

Holding Dean’s gaze for a just a while more, Castiel nodded and Dean gave his hand another light squeeze. “Alright, thank you, Dean.” He gently withdrew his hand and began to walk down the corridor, turning back only once to see Dean give him two thumbs up.

A few weeks later, Castiel got his certificate mailed to his doorstep and everyone went out for dinner in celebration.


	6. Chapter 6

* * *

**\+ I.**

* * *

 

 

It was raining. _Again_.

Dean and Castiel were the only two people at the bus stop, drenched and shivering in the cold breeze that came accompanied by the heavy downpour. Castiel’s trench coat gave just a little more warmth as he draped it over their two forms – now huddled closely together to be as warm as possible.

“Oh crap, I hope I don’t fall sick.” Dean groaned, switching from standing on his left foot to his right. They had been waiting for the rain to stop for at least twenty minutes, and it didn’t look like it was going to stop any time soon.

“I believe your immune system to be much stronger than that.”

There was a wave of comfortable silence and Dean eyed Castiel from the corner of his eye. “Are you holding up alright?”

“Yes, I’m fine.” Well, that was utter bullshit, because not two seconds later, he sneezed.

“Okay, that’s it, you’re hanging onto this.” Dean tossed the trench coat off his own shoulder and moved to wrap it around Castiel’s shoulders instead. “There, do you feel more comfortable?”

“Yes, but you’re cold, Dean.”

“I’ve been in colder places.” He offered a reassuring smile. “Don’t worry about me.”

Castiel chuckled. “It seems like that’s the only thing I ever do since I met you.” Dean raised an eyebrow at his comment. “You do a lot of crazy, stupid things, Dean. Honestly, who even considers pranking the principle on his birthday?”

“Hey, he’s a dick. I’m pretty sure there are loads of people who would want to do that.”

“The point is that you ought to watch out for yourself a little more. It seems to me that you care more about others than yourself. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a selfless act, but I think you should take care of yourself too.”

Dean’s eyes darted away from him. “What, you’re going to do it for me?”

Castiel considered that for a moment. “Actually, that’s a pretty good idea.” Dean whipped his head to stare at him. “I mean, you took care of me when you saw me looking lost on my first day of school. I could take care of you today, and tomorrow, and the day after that, and every day until you want me to stop.”

Dean blinked his green eyes at him. “Cas,” He started slowly. “Are you…are you confessing?”

“Confessing?” Castiel asked, eyebrows furrowing in confusion. “As far as I’m concerned, I don’t believe to have sinned in the last week.”

Dean managed to roll his eyes in the cold. “No, I meant…are you confessing your _feelings_ to me? Are you telling me you like me or something?”

“Why, is there a template for confessions that I am required to follow?” He raised an eyebrow. “Please, do teach me how I am to properly profess my undying love for you.”

Dean couldn’t quite tell whether or not that was sarcasm. “So, you’re telling me you love me?”

“ _Yes_ , Dean.” Castiel huffed, half in exasperation and half in anxiety. “I’m telling you I love you.”

“Ah, okay.” Dean blinked, allowing Castiel’s words to sink into his brain. He continued to stare at his friend though. He felt his heart race, and ransacked his half-dazed brain for _something_ to do or say. His basic instinct kicked in, though, and Dean’s hand reached forwards towards Castiel’s.

But, they didn’t interlock. He paused, and then his hand moved up to cup Castiel’s cheek and without a second thought, Dean leaned in to close the gap between their lips. The air around them seemed much warmer now.

“I will take it that my feelings are reciprocated?” Castiel asked innocently when they pulled apart.

“Yeah, of course,” Dean smiled in amusement.

“Alright, good, great,” He beamed up at him. “Now, I think you’ll need to stop kissing me because I can feel myself catching a cold and I don’t want you getting sick.”

“Okay then.”

There was a pause.

“Actually, can I just have one more?”

“Idiot.”

Dean Winchester and Castiel Novak spent their first day as an official couple sneezing in their beds, blowing their noses and making at least five bowls of chicken soup, as well as having Skype conversations with each other on their laptops. Despite their state of health and the amount of homework to catch up on, it was a good day.

 

[END]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In which there are five instances in the course of Dean and Castiel's friendship where they hold hands, and the one time they don't - because the one time they don't, friendship blossomed into something more.
> 
> Thank you so much for sticking with this! I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.


End file.
